Disney princesses an inspiration throughout the years

When Walt Disney started back in 1928 with Mickey Mouse short cartoons, everyone knew that he was here to stay. Almost a decade later, Walt Disney came out with his first movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It became a hit, grossing more than $9,624,149 in the opening weekend. Seven decades later Snow White is still on countless lunch boxes, backpacks, bedsheets and even t-shirts.
“Disney is a good franchise to grow up to,” said junior Dayjah Stewart.
In the past 76 years, Snow White has been joined by 11 other princesses, who are part of a large marketing campaign called, appropriately, The Disney Princesses.
Girls can buy Disney Princesses on everything from pencil boxes to iPod cases.
There are some who say the princess “lifestyle” is one about needing a “Prince Charming” to live happily ever after, but others see princesses as role models for young girls.
“Princesses are positive role models for little girls because each are special in their own way,” said Everett graduate Dymond Johnson. “The majority of the princesses have gone through some type of [problem] in their life and overcame it.”
Some see Disney princesses as sending the wrong image to young girls. For example, Snow White is taken care of by a dozen dwarfs, then later needs her prince to awaken her before she can live happily ever after. Some people believe that this story shows that the princesses need somebody to take care of them and to be happy. Other Disney films such as Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella portray the same image, showing the princess as needing someone in their lives to be happy.
However; in the 1990s the image of the helpless princess began to change. In Beauty and the Beast, Bella is a strong, independent woman. Bella is the one who breaks the curse and saves the prince. Jasmine (from Aladdin), Mulan and disney’s newest Princess Merida (from Brave) are all other princess who have become more independent.